Module information

Code

MIS106/3

Name

Ministerial Ethics (Credit: 2 or 3 hours)

Average equivalent

ECTS 4 or 5

Description

This course traces the development and history of ethical thought and the leaders of the Christian church from the giving of the Ten Commandments, through the era of John the Baptist, to the twentieth-century Holiness Movement. Current moral / ethical issues and the ethical aspects of major Pentecostal doctrines are outlined. Guidelines for proper relationships with the congregation and with fellow ministers are highlighted. The course concludes with the practical application of ethics to the minister’s home life and ministry.

Mode of Study

• Lecture • Video (in progress) • Student interaction • Professor of Record Interaction • Hands on

Assessment

• 100 objective multiple choice questions • Online or pencil and paper • Project • Collateral Reading Assignment (for 3 (USA) credit courses • Student Learning Requirement • Passmark 70% Course Objectives Upon completion of this course, you should be able to: 1. Define Christian ethics and explain its basis in the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. 2. Contrast the level of ethical standards in the history of the church and its leaders during periods of spiritual decline with the level in times of reformation and revival. 3. Explain the change in believers’ lives regarding their ability to live joyful, ethically sound lives following the experience of salvation and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. 4. List at least seven of the major ethical / moral problems that are prevalent in America today and outline the position ministers should take on each of these issues. 5. Evaluate the positive aspects of the pastor’s role as preacher / counselor and contrast them with the reasons for being reluctant to assume this role. 6. Give six examples of ways ministers can effectively relate to fellow ministers, to their own parishioners, and to business leaders in the community. 7. Summarize the financial steps ministers should take to prepare for emergencies and to save for present needs and for retirement. 8. Summarize the conduct of ethically sound ministers with church people of the opposite sex, as distinguished from an ideal relationship with one’s spouse. 9. Contrast the potential for the abuse of power in ministers’ lives with the results to be enjoyed by submitting to Christ’s authority. 10. Illustrate how ministers can reduce stress and enjoy longevity in the ministry by making rest and relaxation an integral part of their weekly and annual schedules.

Resources*

You will use Ministerial Ethics, a Study Guide by T. Burton Pierce with the textbook it was written to accompany: Ministerial Ethics: A Guide for Spirit-Filled Leaders by T. Burton Pierce, and supplemental text The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Reflections on Money, Sex, and Power by Richard J. Foster. The following optional titles may be helpful but are not required: Pastor to Pastor: Tackling Problems of the Pulpit by Erwin W. Lutzer, Christian Ethics by Norman L. Geisler, and Ministerial Ethics and Etiquette by Nolan B. Harmon. The Holy Bible is also required. Bible quotations in the Study Guide are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted. If you are enrolled in this course for three credits, the third credit will be earned by completing a collateral writing assignment (CWA). Instructions for completing the CWA are in the Essential Course Materials. Some assignments require you to access the Global University Library website or other academic sources. Instructions for accessing the Library website are provided in the Undergraduate Writing Assignment Guidelines (UWAG) in the Essential Course Materials. The Global University Undergraduate Form and Style Guide defines the form, style, and documentation system for completing undergraduate writing assignments. The guide can be downloaded for free from http://www.globaluniversity.edu/PDF/UG-FormAndStyleGuide.pdf. A print version may be ordered from your enrollment office. * The resources information is may change when courses are revised and updated. The study guide resource information will always be the correct information.